Typical electrical busways are an electrical distribution track that is comprised of an elongated housing containing a plurality of electrically isolated conductive busbars encased in an insulator. Sections of busway can be joined together to form runs for power distribution. When two sections of busway are joined, an electrical connection between the two separate sections is made by a connector body unit. The connector body unit acts as a bridge between the two separate sections of busway.
Standard power modules with plug-in units are designed for insertion into the electrical busway for electrical engagement with the busbars. The standard power modules have connection mechanisms that are appendages to the electrical busway sections and have a significant form factor. A problem that exists in the art is that the connection mechanism of the power module is not integrated into the profile of the electrical busway. The prior art appendage approach increases the overall footprint of the electrical busway in combination with the connection mechanism of the power module.
For example, power modules may be snapped into mechanical engagement with an electrical busway. The Universal Electric B50 busway product is a typical example of an electrical busway that is structured to receive snap-on power modules. The power modules have a metal strap formed out of spring steel. When inserting the power module, the metal strap contains barbs that snap into ribs formed in the housing of the electrical busway. Once the power module is installed, tabs of the metal strap protrude from the electrical busway. This protrusion increases the overall footprint of the power module in combination with the electrical busway. The power module may be removed from the electrical busway by squeezing the tabs of the power module. When the tabs of the power module are squeezed, the barbs of the power module are moved away from the ribs of the electrical busway housing. Significant force is needed to squeeze in the tabs of this power module. As such, this power module is difficult to remove from the electrical busway in certain circumstances.
Alternatively, power modules may be mechanically fastened to an electrical busway. The power module is generally plugged into the electrical busway and supported by fasteners that thread into the electrical busway. Fasteners are used on one or both sides of the power module to mechanically connect the power module to the electrical busway. The fasteners are usually a separate component from the power module and can easily be misplaced or lost during installation. Also, it is possible for the installer to neglect to install the fasteners.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a connection mechanism for coupling a power module to an electrical busway that is integrated into the profile of the electrical busway.
It is, therefore, also desirable to provide a connection mechanism for coupling a power module to an electrical busway that may be coupled and removed from the electrical busway.
It is, therefore, additionally desirable to provide a connection mechanism for coupling a power module to an electrical busway that does not use an elaborate fastener framework for coupling the power module direct to the electrical busway.
Accordingly, there is room for improvement in connection mechanisms for coupling power modules to electrical busways that improve upon the systems described above.